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Abstract

The study examined Gillnet Fisheries around Polaku and Koroama Communities in the Lower Taylor Creek, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The instrument of the study was a structured questionnaire. A total of 100 gillnet fishers were randomly selected from the study area. Fishes caught were identified to species level using a field identification guide. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentages, frequency count and Mean (X). The results show a dominance of males (95.0%) over females (5.0%) in gillnet fisheries in the study area. Majority (43.0%) of fishers fell within the agile and economically active age brackets of 30-39 years. More than half (62.0%) of the fishers are married, 25.0% are single, 6.0% are divorced and 7.0% are widowed. The majority of fishers (44.0%) had primary education, while none had tertiary education. Eighty percent of fishers are from Polaku and 20.0% from Koroama. Thirty-nine percent of fishers use bottom gillnets, 35.0% drift gillnets and 26.0% surface gillnets in the study area. The mesh size of nets ranged from 2" to 5". Species from the family Alestidae was the most abundant (15.7%) and the family Notopteridae was the least abundant (0.8%). Between 10 to 20 hours are spent by the fishers in fishing and the daily catch quantity ranges between 20 to 40 kg. Generated weekly income ranged below N35, 000 to N63, 000. The challenges encountered by the fishers include lack of storage facilities and destruction of fishing gears by maritime vessels operating in the area. It was thus recommended that government should provide storage facilities and regulate maritime vessel operation in the area.